


Hall Attendant

by lonelyrealm



Category: Carmilla (Web Series), Carmilla - All Media Types
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-02
Updated: 2016-07-02
Packaged: 2018-07-19 13:46:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7363774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonelyrealm/pseuds/lonelyrealm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura suddenly finds herself smitten with the sarcastic and slightly infuriating late night hall attendant. </p><p>(Pretty much just an excuse to write about fluffy Hollstein.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hall Attendant

“Hey, frosh! Wake up!”

 

Laura gasped awake, shooting up in her chair and meeting the beady eyes of the head librarian. Laura squealed and jerked back, her chair scraping the wooden floor noisily. As the sleep cleared from her eyes, she became aware of her whereabouts and quickly snapped her mouth shut before she could embarrass herself further.

 

The head librarian, an old woman who was feared by nearly every student on campus, tutted disapprovingly. She appeared to be flush from castigating LaFontaine who was exasperatedly running a hand through their hair.

 

“I’ve been trying to wake you for twenty minutes,” LaFontaine frowned, “because the library is closed and uh, _Ms. Green_ would like to go home.”

 

LaF gave her a pointed look and tilted their head subtly towards the old woman still glaring daggers at Laura.

 

“Right, sorry! I was just you know, studying really, really hard and I guess I just got so tired! Haha…”

 

Laura laughed weakly and began fumbling for her papers. She didn’t care that half of them were now folded haphazardly into her bag as she shoved them in, she just couldn’t stand being victim to such a harsh glare. When she was done, she stood up abruptly, almost tripped over the chair she had been sitting in in her haste to escape, and dropped a few of the papers she had been carrying in her arms.

 

She mentally cursed as she stooped to gather everything as LaF fixed the chairs and began placating the librarian goodnight in a sweet voice meant to mitigate the situation. As quickly as they could, the two friends burst from the library’s heavy doors into the cool night air. Blushing hotly to the tips of her ears, Laura felt relief only after they were several paces away from the library. LaFontaine was still chortling.

 

“I’m sorry, LaF I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you,” Laura admitted bashfully.

 

LaF raised a shoulder in a half shrug and sent her a wide grin,

 

“No problem, L. You made up for it with that weird spaz attack you just had.”

 

“Perry wouldn’t like it if you made fun of me like that,” Laura muttered reproachfully.

 

LaF shrugged, still chuckling. At least the cool air was helping deter the blood rush to her face. It was not yet cold enough for the night air to be unpleasantly chilly but it was only a matter of time before the snow started and caused them to hole up in their respective rooms so Laura was eager to utilize the library now. Besides, it was easier to concentrate there.

 

Until one were to say, fall asleep.

 

“What time is it anyway?” Laura voiced aloud. LaF glanced at their phone and then brightened,

 

“Only a few minutes past midnight. You’ll have to sign me in now if you want me to sleep over, someone will be at the security booth.”

 

“Wait, really?” Laura asked, brow crinkling.

 

“Yeah, I know. Hall attendants have to buzz people and their guests in after a certain hour for safety purposes-”

 

“I didn’t know Silas cared about our well being,” Laura stated, curious.

 

LaF snorted but continued, “It’s the one thing they enforce here. We are paying tuition after all.”

 

LaF’s phone went off, interrupting their banter. They stopped in their tracks and Laura knew by the way they started going gaga eyed over their phone that Perry had texted.

 

“Sorry, L, but Perry wants me to come over to her place.” Perry lived off campus which was convenient for the ginger couple when they wanted alone time to...stare at each other. Laura was 100% sure they did nothing else.

 

“That’s ok, have fun. I’ll be going straight to sleep anyway,” Laura said, fiddling with the strap on her backpack. LaF gave her a small smile and waved goodbye as she headed off in the opposite direction.

 

Laura turned back to watch LaF as they disappeared around a building before sighing to herself. Lately, LaF and Perry spent more time with each other than with her. But there was no denying how happy they made each other.

 

Shivering slightly, she quickened her pace and arrived in front of her dorm building in no time. By the time she made it into the tiny lobby, her ears were stinging with the cold and her nose was pink. She had never stayed out this late before and the lobby was quiet enough the she could have heard a pin drop. She made her way to the locked door that required an ID swipe to get into the actual building when she realized she wasn’t alone. Someone was indeed sitting behind the booth that was otherwise empty in the day hours.

 

Oh.

 

Laura discreetly pinched herself.

 

The girl was gorgeous. No, that didn’t quite cover it. Her skin was very pale but in a way that made her appear regal rather than sickly. Her dark, wavy hair and clothing contrasted her skin so perfectly. She looked like a timeless work of art. Her eyes were leisurely scanning a page of a heavy tome in front of her, long fine boned fingers resting against the pages. Laura wondered how soft those hands would be.

 

 

She blinked, feeling a flush creep up her neck. And as if noticing that she was being stared at, the girl’s eyes rose up to meet Laura’s. A perfectly arched brow rose up in question. Laura squeaked and turned back quickly. Too quickly actually. She forgot how close to the door she had been and ended up turning right into it.

 

“Ow! Fu- Fudge!” she stammered as her nose stung from the cruel blow. She wondered how hard she had hit her nose because she could hear angels singing.

 

Oh, wait.

 

The girl was laughing. At her. Laura felt embarrassment and anger flare up.

 

“Hey! It’s not nice to laugh when someone hurts themselves!” she shouted irritably. The girl continued to smirk in her direction.

 

“Sorry, cutie, it’s just- you looked like you were gonna just walk right on through.” Crap, she looked even better when she was being snarky.

 

“It’s Laura! And the glass is-is really clean, ok!”

 

She sounded ridiculous even to her own ears. The girl shrugged and went back to reading. Laura whirled back around (keeping an eye out for the door this time) and searched her pocket for her ID card.

 

Crap.

 

She searched her other pockets.

 

Double crap.

 

She huffed and it occurred to her that maybe she had placed the card in her backpack with the rest of her things.

 

“Having trouble, there, cupcake?” the infuriating girl asked, smirk widening. Damn, how sharp could a jawline be?

 

“I’m fine,” Laura shot back before taking off her backpack and rifling through it. The girl’s question caught up to her. “And it’s Laura, not cupcake,” she bit out as she shoved things aside in her quest.

 

“Whatever you say, cutie,” the girl remarked dryly. “Lost something?”

 

“For your information, I haven’t lost my ID, I just don’t know where it is. At the moment. Like right now. But I usually do. And I don’t lose things!” Laura rambled as her hope for finding the card dwindled.

 

“Oh, sorry. Guess I pegged you wrong there,” Carmilla sneered. “Yeah, you totally look like you know where it is, creampuff.”

 

“Stop calling me desserts!”

 

“That angry face you make is hilarious, buttercup.”

 

“It’s Laura!” she hissed. And then she squealed in triumph, pulling her ID out from where it had been crammed into the middle of her textbook as a makeshift bookmark. She quickly swiped and pushed her way into the building, eager to get some sleep.

 

“Come visit sometime, cutie.”

 

Laura turned to face the girl, shaking her head.

 

“Not until you call me by my name,” she said and then realized she was seriously considering hanging out with this girl who clearly looked like trouble. Still, a part of Laura – a large, probably very gay part – was curious.

 

The girl regarded her with that same, frustrating smirk.

 

“Where’s the fun in that?”

 

Laura rolled her eyes.

 

“Will you at least give me your name then?”

 

The girl gave her a small, genuine looking smile.

 

“It’s Carmilla, sweetheart.”

 

“Right, well. Goodnight then, Carmilla.”

 

“Bye, cutie.”

 

Laura had the peculiar feeling of her heart beating very fast despite never getting winded by the stairs to her room. And the feeling persisted as she lay in bed, snuggled against her yellow pillow. She could still see Carmilla’s smirk. And her dark hair. And her glittering eyes.

 

Laura sat up in alarm.

 

Oh, _snickerdoodle._

 

* * *

 

 

It’s not that Laura paid any particular attention to all the hearsay around her school (because there was so much, honestly and a good journalist doesn’t care for rumors with no evidence) it’s just that Carmilla Karnstein was talked about so much that she couldn’t help NOT hearing about her.

 

What she knew was that Carmilla Karnstein was ridiculously attractive to anyone with some form of functioning vision and she was a Philosophy and Business double major despite the fact that she rarely cared to show up to classes.

 

What Laura had _heard_ was that her mother was the Dean and her sister was some fancy lawyer all the way out in New York City.

 

And that Carmilla was known for having nearly every girl on campus fall head over heels for her.

 

So honestly, she was just terrible crush material.

 

Not that that changed anything for Laura.

 

Because all of a sudden, she began seeing Carmilla everywhere.

 

In the halls with some girl hanging off her arm. At the university coffee shop where she outright flirted with the barista. And in the library where she would drag giggling girls with her to the very back to do who knows what.

 

As the semester picked up, Laura found herself working later and later into the night at the library and having to return to her building looking like a tired mess. Carmilla never seemed to look any less beautiful. And she was always in the booth with that unfairly attractive smirk on her face and some girl giggling over her. Laura would simply roll her eyes, swipe in and carry on.

 

But about a month ago, she apparently began noticing Laura. Because she would wink or smirk or whisper a “Hey, cutie.” as she passed.

 

Laura would of course, stammer her name and then walk off, ears and face burning red. Even if she was on line at the aforementioned coffee shop.

 

LaF thought it was the funniest thing ever and Perry just looked concerned.

 

“Are you sure, she isn’t just...playing with you, Laura?”

 

The trio were seated in Laura’s cramped single room way after hours. Carmilla had simply buzzed them in without waiting for any of them to swipe in, not even taking her eyes off of whatever she had been working on. (Silas’ safety measures were sure being taken seriously…)

 

Laura let herself sink further into her pillow.

 

“I know about her reputation, Perry. I just...can’t help it,” she finished lamely.

 

“What about Danny, dear?”

 

Ah, Danny Lawrence. The girl had an obvious crush on Laura and it was sweet but she was clearly the kind of girlfriend that would hover. Still, Laura _should_ like her. She was kind, smart, and so very charming.

 

“That’s the thing about crushes, Perr, you really can’t change how you feel,” LaF offered. “And besides, Carmilla’s in my Calculus class, she’s not all bad when she shows up.”

 

“You two get along?” The question came from both Laura and Perry at the same time. LaF grinned and nodded.

 

“You just have to accept that she hates pretty much everyone.”

 

“Apparently not since half the campus has slept with her,” Perry pointed out.

 

“I haven’t seen her with anyone in like a month,” LaF said.

 

Laura thought about it. The arm candy had died down as of late. She hated how her chest felt lighter.

 

“Well, that’s enough about her tonight. We should get going,” Perry reminded her partner as they began packing up.

 

Laura hurried to her feet.

 

“I’ll walk you guys out. You sure you don’t wanna just sleep over?”

 

LaF laughed as they shouldered their backpack.

 

“No offense, Laura, but there’s no room for us in here. It only works for you ‘cause you’re so short.”

 

“You’re not even two inches taller than me!”

 

LaF waved that off as though it were completely irrelevant. Once Perry had triple checked her bag for everything, the three made their way downstairs and to the lobby. LaF nudged Laura when the door leading into the security booth came into view.

 

“She’s probably in there. Gonna go say hi, crushes-on-hall attendants?”

 

“No, I just came to walk you guys out and I’ve done so, so I’m leavi-”

 

The door suddenly opened and was pushed ajar by a highly amused looking Carmilla.

 

Who was smirking.

 

And had probably heard Laf.

 

“Hey, cutie, I thought I heard you.”

 

Laura gave herself five seconds to freak out now silently and then another twenty when she actually got back to her room.

 

If she didn’t die of embarrassment.

 

“We’ll get going!” LaF exclaimed as they grabbed Perry’s hand and practically walked right into the door Laura had on their way out.

 

Laura decided she would kill LaF first and then maybe die of embarrassment.

 

Carmilla was giving her that alluring smile.

 

“Why don’t you come in? Sit with me for a bit?”

 

“I-uh-well, I don’t think I sh-”

 

“Ten minutes won’t kill you, cutie. Besides, I’m all alone here,” Carmilla pouted.

 

And then Laura found herself sitting beside Carmilla in the rather small booth at exactly one in the morning. She tried to look anywhere but at Carmilla herself who was still watching her with great interest.

 

“I don’t bite, cupcake.”

 

“Right, I know!” Laura said quickly and probably too loudly.

 

“Then why are you twitching around so much? Like you’re nervous? Do I make you nervous, creampuff?”

 

Carmilla was leaning towards her and her voice had gone alarmingly low and attractive.

 

“I’m not twitching, there is an absence of twitching!”

 

Laura stopped leaning as far back as she had and straightened up, their faces now only a foot apart.

 

“Right.”

 

Carmilla’s hand came up to toy with the ends of Laura’s hair.

 

“I seem to have started seeing you everywhere. And there’s just something about you...” Carmilla trailed off cryptically. Laura swallowed, her pulse thundering in her ears.

 

“So-so you know LaF?”

 

“Cutie, I didn’t invite you in to talk about Ginger 1. I want to hear about you and what makes you so interesting,” Carmilla practically purred.

 

“I’m not very interesting,” Laura frowned, “I mean, I’m just like everyone else.”

 

“But I don’t want to talk to everyone else,” Carmilla grinned.

 

“Lucky me,” Laura smiled weakly. “Why did you take this job anyway? I figured you’d have lots of other places to be. With lots of other people.”

 

Laura wished she didn’t sound so petty while saying that.

 

Carmilla didn’t even look phased. Instead she smirked.

 

“So you’ve heard how popular I am.”

 

“I’m not- I’m not slut shaming you or anything. I just-Ok, maybe it was a bad question but I was just wondering why you’re here and like, why I’m here. I mean, I know I was a total dork when I bumped into that door and you were laughing and that’s actually really mean now that I think about it but-”

 

“Whoa. Take a deep breath, cutie.”

 

“And it’s Laura. You never call me Laura! Why?”

 

“Sometimes saying a name too much makes it sound weird, don’t you think, Laura?”

 

Her name rolled off the pale girl’s tongue so artfully that it made her stomach flip.

 

“I’m sorry I talk too much,” Laura said quietly, “my dad says I ramble a lot.”

 

“I like it. You look adorable. And LaF once mentioned you were looking into investigative journalism. Or trying to make binge watching some show or other an actual career.”

 

“LaF would understand if they watched the show like I did.” Laura grumbled after having a minor heart attack at being called adorable by the most attractive girl on campus.

 

Carmilla chuckled and then booted her laptop which was sitting on her desk. She quickly navigated to Netflix and then turned to Laura, eyes twinkling.

 

“Which show?”

 

* * *

 

It became routine then and Laura was surprised how easily they fell into it. Carmilla’s shifts generally ran from 8PM to 3AM. It was the reason, she explained, as to why she never woke up before 12 and besides “the stars are out late, cupcake.”

 

Laura would scarf down dinner, run to her room to grab her things, and then pop into the booth about twenty minutes after Carmilla. And then they would run Netflix on Carmilla’s laptop as they ate snacks and did homework.

 

And talk. Actually, after the first few days, all they did now was talk during the show.

 

Laura learned a lot about Carmilla. She was more reserved than Laura thought she would be but the flirting was apparently just how she was. She liked philosophy more than business and had only done the double major to appease her Dean mother. The woman was terrifying, yes, but Carmilla stayed far enough from her bad side to not worry. She did have a sister but also a brother that was attending Silas next year. Both her siblings were adopted.

 

And she was funny, charming and very, very capable of making Laura fall head over heels for her.

 

Which is why Laura was hesitating. There was no way Carmilla Karnstein was in her league.

 

And she was certain Carmilla felt something too.

 

As they got more comfortable with each other, Laura learned that the other girl had a predilection for small touches. Like brushing Laura’s hair behind her ear or tapping a random rhythym on Laura’s thigh while she explained something. Occasionally, they held hands. (Although Laura had been the one to start that after a particularly emotional episode of Doctor Who.)

 

And since they stayed up so late, they had a tendency to doze off against each other. Laura had found herself waking up on Carmilla’s shoulder many times.

 

The distance Carmilla seemed to hold everyone at was nonexistent for Laura.

 

So naturally, she was a little scared. How did one go about confessing to their crush anyway?

 

“Penny for your thoughts?” came a voice from beside her.

 

Laura blinked and straightened up in her chair to see Danny Lawrence smiling down at her, holding a coffee like every other caffeine driven student in the campus cafe was.

 

“Hey, Danny! I was just reading about...” Laura trailed off realizing her book was actually upside down. “Oh, maybe I wasn’t reading.”

 

“You ok? I’ve never seen you space out so much,” Danny chuckled. She sat down beside Laura close enough that their shoulders brushed.

 

“I’m fine. Just tired and now I can’t seem to focus.”

 

“I heard from LaF you’ve been staying up late all the time lately. Are you that behind on your work?” Danny’s brow was furrowed in worry.

 

“No, no! Nothing like that! I’m actually ahead in most of them. I’ve just been binge watching this new show with Carm and-”

 

“Carm? Carmilla? As in Karnstein?”

 

Laura nodded happily, feeling warm as the previous object of her musings was brought up and her lips quirked up without effort. Danny gave her a wary look.

 

“She’s trouble, Laura.”

 

“You know her too?”

 

“She’s slept with half the school and broken a bunch of girls’ hearts. Not to mention she’s kind of a jerk.”

 

“But have you spoken to her?” Laura prodded. Danny scowled, leaning back slightly.

 

“I don’t have to talk to her, Laura. She always looks at me like I’m the dirt under her shoes.”

 

Laura couldn’t help the anger building in her.

 

“Well, maybe, if you spoke to her _once_ you’d know that she is super nice and not as mean as everyone thinks she is!”

 

Danny looked taken aback. Laura muttered an apology and twiddled her thumbs.

 

They both sighed, Danny placing her arm around Laura’s shoulders.

 

“Sorry, I just don’t want you getting caught up in her games or whatever.”

 

“Let me worry about that,” Laura stated firmly.

 

They sat in silence for a moment before Laura stood and shouldered her bag.

 

“Wanna go to my room? It’s quieter and not as crowded as the library.”

 

Danny smiled and puller her jacket on tightly.

 

“Lead the way.”

 

It took them only ten minutes to get there. Laura had to quicken her pace to keep up with Danny’s long strides at times. And to her delight, Carmilla was in the booth reading.

 

“Hi, Carm!”

 

Carmilla looked up, her small smile lighting up her whole demeanor until it soured upon realizing Laura had a guest.

 

“How do you get all the gingers to hang out with you, cupcake?” she snickered. Laura gave an amused shrug.

 

“She calls you cupcake?” Danny asked, something in her voice irking Laura.

 

Carmilla’s eyes narrowed.

 

“She’ll need ID to get in.”

 

Laura almost felt her jaw drop.

 

“Carm, you’ve never asked for anyone I bring to swipe in.”

 

Carmilla was still eyeing Danny like she was scum. And Danny’s harsh glare only seemed to goad it.

 

“Well this time is different, cupcake. Security cameras might be alarmed seeing a giant ginger tree walking around. I should at least assure them that it’s sentient.”

 

“ _Carm_! Don’t be mean! Danny’s my guest.”

 

Danny slid her ID card into the slot for Carmilla’s waiting hand.

 

“No, Laura, don’t bother. If she wants to be a bitch she can do so, all alone here. Let’s just get to your room already.”

 

“ _Danny_! Not you too!”

 

Carmilla quickly wrote some things down, made Danny sign a log book and then snapped it shut and thrust the tall girl’s ID back at her without another word. She didn’t look at Laura once. Shoulders drooping, Laura allowed herself to be led into the building by Danny’s arm around her shoulders.

 

“See? You really shouldn’t spend time with someone so mean.”

 

“She’s not like that with me!” Laura defended. Danny looked incredulous.

 

The two didn’t speak about it again as they worked in silence together on Laura’s bed. Eventually, Danny set her laptop aside and turned to face Laura.

 

“Laura, I’m sorry if that spat upset you. Are we ok?”

 

Laura nodded and gave Danny a reassuring smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

 

“It’s okay. I can’t expect everyone to get along.”

 

Danny bit her lip and glanced down at their hands on the comforter. She slowly brought her hand to rest on Laura’s. And it was nice. Danny’s hands were large and warm. But it didn’t look right to Laura. She was imagining nails with black painted finger nails.

 

“You know that I like you, Laura.”

 

Danny’s blue eyes were searching hers for something but Laura found herself unable to match the serenity or affection in them.

 

“I know. But I can’t, Danny. I have someone else in mind. I’m sorry.”

 

Danny’s jaw clenched.

 

“Carmilla?”

 

Laura didn’t have to nod. Her face turned pink. Danny sighed.

 

“I should probably get going.”

 

“I’ll walk you out.”

 

“You just want to see her.”

 

“Maybe,” Laura confessed. Truthfully, she wanted to see Carmilla all the time.

 

They walked in silence to the lobby and when they reached the doors, Danny walked out with a simple wave over her back, looking almost like a kicked puppy. Laura figured she could address that later when the sting of rejection was not so fresh.

 

Instead, she braced herself as she pushed the door of the security booth open.

 

“Carm!”

 

Carmilla jumped in her chair and whirled around, a glare already fixed on her face before she realized who it was. She visibly softened into a look of surprise.

 

“Cupcake. Aren’t you busy tonight?”

 

“I was. But I wanted to see you.”

 

Carmilla had that tiny smile on her face but it was the kind that Laura was certain meant that she was beaming.

“You can sit but I uh, didn’t bring my laptop or anything.”

 

Carmilla looked a tad nervous. Laura found it incredibly endearing.

 

“That’s okay, I wanted to talk to you about something.”

 

She could feel her nerves starting to make themselves present. Butterflies? Check. Blush? Check.

 

Carmilla was eyeing her worriedly.

 

“Danny asked me out.” Laura blurted out.

 

Carmilla raised a brow but stayed silent. Laura could see her hands twitching.

 

“She asked me out. Tonight. We were on my bed.”

 

Something flickered across Carmilla’s eyes. Disappointment, maybe?

 

She cleared her throat and sat up, propping her chin on her elbow.

 

“And you want my advice on this or…?”

 

“No, I gave her an answer already.”

 

Carmilla turned away from her, fiddling with the pages of her book. She was struggling to say something, Laura knew.

 

“Cupcake, I’m not following. A girl asked you out. So logically you could only be here to ask me what you should be wearing or for the suggestion of a restaurant that accepts those that are clearly vertical overachievers but you said you’re not here for that so then why are you here?”

 

Laura pulled out the chair next to Carmilla’s and sat down. And then she rolled forward until she was right next to her.

 

“Because I didn’t say yes, Carm.”

 

Carmilla’s head snapped up and she turned to Laura with such an adorable look of hope and longing.

 

“You said no?”

 

Laura’s grin widened. And she leaned close until she could see the finest freckles across Carmilla’s nose.

 

“I had someone else in mind,” she murmured.

 

Carmilla was already leaning in towards her.

 

“Lucky her.”

 

“Lucky her indeed,” Laura whispered before capturing Carmilla’s lips. They were as warm and soft as Laura had thought they would be. She felt Carmilla’s cool hands come up and cradle her face, pulling her closer.

 

When they pulled apart, Carmilla’s eyes were twinkling. Laura pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek and then threw her arms around Carmilla’s neck, keeping her close.

 

“So to answer your question...” Laura continued but Carmilla beat her to it.

 

“You are busy tonight.” She punctuated it with another, hotter kiss. “And every other night after this.”

 

And Laura of course, agreed happily.

**Author's Note:**

> I've never posted anything before so: Thank you for reading!


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